Safety device



F. K. URBAN SAFETY DEVICE Aug. 22, 1950 Filed March 22, 1949 V. W Q A K v f F Patented Aug. 22, I950 UNITED STAT AT-E'NT OFFICE 6 Glaims.

This invention relates to a safety device par 'ticularly adapted for use by persons having a broken toe or toes.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a safety device applicable to the sole of a shoe worn by a person having a fractured toe or toes, or less severe contusion uncomplicated by fracture which will permit the couvalescing person to walk substantially normally and safely without the use of crutches or similar supports.

Statistics prove that in homes and particularly in parts of a factory where normal activities do not warrant the wearing of safety shoes or where the enforcement of safety shoe wearing cannot be carried out, many persons are injured by the fracturing of a toe or toes caused by fallobjects or due to other causes not easily anticipated and guarded against. The fractured digit or digits need to be set, .splinted and bandaged and the injured person is generally incapacitated for approximately four or five weeks during which time it is necessary to use a crutch or crutches .for walking. This prolonged convalescence prevents the patient from performing his usual duties and in the case of a factory worker results in loss to both patient and factory in time, production and finances.

try to walk flat-footed with a cut-awayshoe on the injured foot is dangerous inasmuch as an inadvertent or accidental flexing of the injured foot may readily cause a break-down or refracture and thus prolong convalescence and increase losses.

The device or the present invention, by its use permits substantially normal and unassisted walking oi the patient usually within two or three days after the broken digit or digits have .properly been splinted and bandaged. Thus the injured person may in a few days instead of weeks, perform his normal work in a substantially normal manner and he and the factory in which he works are relieved of appreciable losses in time, production and finances. In those cases of severe fracture of the proximal phalanx of the great toe where the use of a plaster cast is essential, the cast, at the discretion of the attending doctor, can usually be removed much earlier and the device mentioned substituted.

Further obiects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates the device applied to a shoe which has been cut-away to permit safe and easy placement of the injured foot within it.

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Fig. 2 is a perspective view or the safety device.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the device, and

Fig. l is a side view of the device, partly in section, to show interior construction.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 2!) dos the complete stilt which consists of two blocks 2.! and 22 made of any suitable material such as Wood, plastic for the like. The top S111! faces of the blocks, which are the surfaces :adtiacent thesole of the shoe when the stilt is (placed thereupon, are flat while the directly opposite or bottom surfaces, which are the surfaces contacting the ilooriduring use of the stilt, are rounded. Zhe adjacent ends of blocks 2! and '22 are re spectively shaped to inter'fit'so as to permit rela tive movement of said blocks longitudinally and prevent relative sidewise movement of said block and thus maintain them in longitudinal aligm m it. Such iormationmight include a relatively longitudinally movable mortise and tenon joint at the adjacent endsof the blocks 21 and 22 with the mortise cavity in one block and the cooperating tenon vor interiitting tongue in the other '01. it may consist of a simpler and less expensive construction as illustrated in which both blocks are cut away to form an oppositely disposed, extending lip '31 and 32 .on the respective blocks, each lip sl-idably fitting into the cut away portionof the other respective block. This construe 'tion maintains the upper and lower surfaces in alignment-while permitting the blocks to be moved relatively longitudinally In-order to maintain the two sides of blocks 2! and 22 in alignment as said blocks are moved longitudinally relatively to each other, each block a. plate secured to it the adjacent portion of the plates be ng interlocked as shown in Fig. 2. Plate 13.4. is attached to the upper side of block :21 by screws :35 the plate extending from the outer endof block 2-! to the inner end thereof or more particularly to the end of the lip portion 32 of block '21. The inner end of plate 34 has J'a rectangularly shaped notch or cut-away portion 3% which is substantially half the Width and length of plate. A similanbut oppositely disposed plate 3'! is attached to block 22 by screws .33. This plate 31 has a rectangular cut away portion 39 into which the narrower pertion of the plate 34 extends as shown in Fig. 2. The nar rower extension 48 of plate 37 extends into the cutaway notch 35 of plate it. Thus the adjacent endportions of plates 35 and Bl are interlocked which tends to hold the sides of said blocks in alignment while permitting them to move longitudinally.

Plates 3.4 and. .3? provide the means by which the stilt is attachedto the sole of the shoe. At the outer end of each plate and substantially in 3 alignment with the end of the attached block, there is provided an angular bent up portion shaped and operative to fit over and grip the edge of the shoe sole. Plate 34 has a bent up, clamp portion 4:. and plate 31 a similar but oppositely disposed portion 4|. Fig. 1 illustrates how the portion 44 of plate 34 fits about and grips the sole 62 of the shoe at the one side. Portion 4| of plate 3'? grips the direct opposite edge of the sole and when said portions are tightly clamped upon the sole the stilt is rigidly secured thereto, As shown in Fig. 1, the blocks are longitudinally adjusted relatively to each other so that the clamp portion 44 and 4| thereof may fit over and grip the sole approximately at the region where the base of the great toe of the wearer rests upon the sole of the shoe.

The means for actuating the blocks 2| and 22 so that their respective clamp portions 44 and 4| engage and grip the shoe sole for rigidly securing the stilt to the shoe comprises a screw 50, having an enlarged head portion 5| provided with a wrench receiving recess 52 at its outer end. The portion of screw 50 provided with threads, threadedly engages the block 22 but not the block 2| the screw extending freely slidable therethrough. An enlarged recess in block 2| receives .the enlarged head portion 5| of the screw, as shown in Fig. 4. Thus when the screw is actuated in one direction blocks 2| and 22 may be moved apart longitudinally to permit the respective clamp portions 44 and 45 to fit over a shoe sole, while, when the screw is actuated in the opposite direction the blocks 2| and 22 are moved toward each other longitudinally causing the said clamping portions tightly to grip the respective edges of the shoe sole and rigidly secure the stilt thereto. It should be noted that when the device is firmly clamped to the shoe sole the outer surface of the enlarged head of the screw 50 rests flush with the edge of the block 2|.

By the use of this device a person having a broken too or toes may, shortly after the injured member is properly splinted and bandaged, walk about substantially normally without the use of a cane or crutch. The possibility of injuring the healing fracture due to a misstep while flatiooted walking with an ordinary cut-away shoe is attempted, is practically eliminated. As the Fig. l of the drawings shows, the bandaged toe is securely and safely supported by the comparatively stiff sole 42 which is constantly held above the floor, sufficiently spaced therefrom that during a normal step, as the heel rises and the foot rolls on the stilt block 2| and 22, the sole portion ahead of the stilt will not contact the floor. In fact to cause the fore portion of the sole to contact the floor by the rolling of the foot upon the stilt would necessitate an abnormal raising of the heel far in excess of that occurring during normal walking.

Thus the device of the present invention provides means which will permit a person, usually incapacitated for four or five weeks due to a broken toe or toes, to walk about substantially normally and perform his or her normal duties within two or three days after the injured member has properly been splinted and bandaged.

' The device not only provides a safety measure in the form of a comparatively stiff base, (the sole of the shoe to which the device is attached) upon which the broken member is supported, but also an economic factor, for the injured user may safely and conveniently return to work and earn pay in the course of a few days whereas ordinarily he is forced to remain idle and lose pay for a period of weeks required for complete healing.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A protective guard attachable to the sole of a shoe worn by a person having a bandaged, fractured toe, an elongated block placed transversely of the sole substantially rearwardly of the base of the great toe; and oppositely disposed clamping ears on the block, said ears being relatively operative to engage and grasp the sole of the shoe at opposite sides for rigidly securing the block to the sole whereby the wearer may walk without contacting the shoe sole with the floor or flexing the portion of the sole supporting the bandaged digit.

2. A protective device attachable to the sole of a shoe worn by a person having a bandaged, fractured toe, an elongated stilt longitudinally attachable, transversely of the sole substantially rearwardly of the base of the wearers great toe, said stilt consisting of two separate blocks having interfitting portions which hold the blocks in alignment and permits relative longitudinal movement of said blocks; a plate secured to each block, the end of the plate adjacent the outer end of its respective block being upturned to provide a clamp operative to engage and grip the respective side of the shoe sole to attach the stilt to the sole; and a screw stud threadedly engaging one block and slidably extending through the other block said screw stud having an enlarged head portion fitting into a recess in said other block, said screw stud being operative to move the blocks relatively longitudinally.

3. A protective device attachable to the sole of a shoe worn by a person having a bandaged, fractured toe whereby the injured person may walk without danger of flexing the injured digit, a stilt attached transversely of the sole of the shoe substantially rearwardly of the base of the wearers great toe, said stilt consisting of, two longitudinally aligned blocks, adjacent ends of which have interfitting portions maintaining the blocks in constant alignment in one plane; a

plate secured to each block upon the surface of the block adjacent the shoe-sole, said plates having interfitting portions permitting relative longitudinal movements of the blocks while maintaining them in alignment in a plane relatively to the aforementioned plane; and upturned clamping lip formed at the outer end of each plate, said lips being operative to fit over and grip the shoe-sole for rigidly attaching the stilt to the shoe; and a headed screw freely extending through one block and threadedly engaging the other, said screws being operative detachably to secure the device to the shoe-sole.

4. A protective device attachable to the sole of a shoe, said device consisting of a plurality of aligned blocks relatively adjustable to vary their overall length; means provided on the two outside blocks for engaging and gripping the respective edges of the shoe sole to secure the device to said sole; and means for actuating the blocks and securely holding them in adjusted position.

5. A protective device attachable to the sole of a shoe, said. device consisting of a plurality of aligned, relatively movable members, the two outer members having provisions for engaging the respective edges of the shoe sole; means beportions adapted to engage and grip a respective 10 edge of the shoe sole; means provided at the contiguous ends of adjacent members for preventing disalignment thereof.

FRANK K. URBAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date "896,971 Christensen Aug. 25, 1908 1,141,889 Trolle June 1, 1915 1,938,617 Augusta Dec. 12, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 550,825 Great Britain Jan. 26, 19,43 

